New Brunswick’s two regional health authorities are asking people to only use the emergency department if a health issue is an actual emergency.
Horizon Health Network and Vitalité Health Network have both issued advisories this week.
Horizon says its emergency departments remain extremely busy, especially in Moncton, Miramichi, Fredericton and Saint John, and trauma and critical care patients must be prioritized.
Patients with non-urgent medical issues may experience long wait times.
Horizon encourages people to visit SoWhyWait.ca to help choose the best options for care such as a pharmacist, primary health care provider, after-hours clinic, virtual care, Tele-Care 811 or the emergency department noting how critical and urgent cases will always be treated as quickly as possible.
Vitalité is urging people to avoid the emergency room at Moncton’s Dumont Hospital given its high occupancy rate over the past few weeks.
Staff and doctors say the emergency room has become congested and unless urgent care is needed, people are being asked to avoid it whenever possible and consider other options for care.
